To apply you’ll need to:
Have further questions? How to apply | Entry requirements
Finances for studying abroad on exchange
Take your love of literature to new heights, studying the English-speaking world’s most influential and inspiring writing.
Our exciting BA English programme will teach you how to read and interpret texts from a wide range of periods, places and genres, and to understand them in their historical, political and cultural contexts.
You’ll gain a grounding in the critical and theoretical approaches that have shaped English literature in recent years. Our teaching takes an interdisciplinary approach: you’ll discover how philosophy, psychology and other disciplines can enrich our understanding of literary works.
Based in the heart of London, the English department has a world-class reputation and an impressive range of expertise and choice of modules. From medieval epics and Renaissance literary culture to cutting-edge contemporary fiction and everything in between, there are opportunities to personalise your English degree and study the topics that most interest you.
Pictured above: Art Histories module students at Tate Britain.
Register your interest
You can complete your English degree in three or four years. If you choose to do a year abroad this will take place in Year 3 and Year 3 modules will instead be studied in Year 4.
You will take the following modules (all compulsory)
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
You will take one 30 credit module from each of the three period specific lists:
List One: Medieval and Early-Modern Studies
You also choose one or two modules from a range of special options that changes each year. Modules may include
This is a sample of modules from our full module directory.
You choose the rest of your final-year modules from a range of options that changes each year, taking one 30 credit module and one 15 credit module in each semester. Modules may include:
Apply for this degree with any of the following options. Take care to use the correct UCAS code - it may not be possible to change your selection later.
Go global and study abroad as part of your degree – apply for our English BA with a Year Abroad. Queen Mary has links with universities in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia (partnerships vary for each degree programme).
Find out more about study abroad opportunities at Queen Mary and what the progression requirements are.
A few modules may require you to buy tickets to shows or exhibitions (often at a discounted rate) as well as pay for travel within London.
I did Black Writing in Britain, which again was very eye-opening. I remember in second year, being conflicted with the reality that there’s a lot we should know about literature, about history, about heritage, that is just not taught until you get to university. How many people from my community went to university? A lot of my friends from school didn’t and my heart broke for them because our English classes would have meant so much more to them if these stories were included in the curriculum.
You'll receive approximately 10 hours of weekly contact time, in the form of lectures, smaller seminar groups and field trips. A few modules feature guest lectures – for example, professional writers or publishers – while others might take you out of the classroom and into the cultural heart of London.
For every hour spent in class, you'll complete a further four to six hours of independent study.
Assessment typically includes a combination of coursework including essays, projects, presentations, log books and portfolios.
The School offers excellent on-campus and London-based resources to support your studies, including:
English Literature Graduate Simran Singh on her degree & working at Sky.
UK students accepted onto this course are eligible to apply for tuition fee and maintenance loans from Student Finance England or other government bodies.
Queen Mary offers a generous package of scholarships and bursaries, which currently benefits around 50 per cent of our undergraduates.
Scholarships are available for home, EU and international students. Specific funding is also available for students from the local area. International students may be eligible for a fee reduction. We offer means-tested funding, as well as subject-specific funding for many degrees.
Find out what scholarships and bursaries are available to you.
We offer specialist support on all financial and welfare issues through our Advice and Counselling Service, which you can access as soon as you have applied for a place at Queen Mary.
Take a look at our Student Advice Guides which cover ways to finance your degree, including:
Our English graduates go on to work in all sorts of sectors, including teaching, publishing, media and communications, and arts and heritage. Some of our most well-known alumni include authors Sarah Waters, JG Ballard and Conn Iggulden, and TV comedy writer James Lamont.
Recent graduates from the School of English and Drama have been hired by:
You’ll have access to bespoke careers support during every step of your English degree, and a practical third-year module will prepare you for the transition from university to working life by researching career, entrepreneurial and postgraduate study prospects.
The Department of English has strong links with the worlds of publishing, performance and poetry, and experts regularly deliver talks and lectures.
Our careers team can also offer:
Learn more about career support and development at Queen Mary.
English - BA (Hons)
English with Year Abroad - BA (Hons)
The Discover Uni dataset (formerly Unistats)
The School of English and Drama provides a first-class learning environment -- the Departments of Drama and English are in the top 40 in the world (QS World Rankings by Subject 2019). And you’ll learn from leading experts: Drama is ranked first and English fifth in the UK for research quality (Research Excellence Framework 2014).We are a large school, with a lot of specialist staff, enabling us to offer a wide range of topics and approaches. You’ll have tailored support, including individual feedback on your work, and there are opportunities to contribute to student performances and publications.We regularly host prominent writers and performers and collaborate with leading organisations such as the V&A, the Barbican, the Live Art Development Agency and Shakespeare’s Globe. Our course makes full use of London’s exceptional theatre and performance resources (e.g. theatres, galleries, museums, libraries, archives, site-specific performance, festivals).The School runs several innovative research centres, including the Centre for Poetry; the Centre for Renaissance and Early Modern Studies; the Centre for Religion and Literature in English; and the Sexual Cultures Research Group.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 2901
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